The invention relates to programming an imaging machine and more particularly, to programming an imaging machine during a periodic copy quality adjustment.
It is important in the operation of complex electronic equipment such as reproduction machines to maintain the quality of the finished copy sheets. To this end, machines often undergo periodic quality adjustments. The need for quality adjustments becomes even more crucial in machines adapted for highlight color or full color reproductions. Such machines often require more extensive or more frequent analysis and operator attention or correction to produce a quality color product. However, it is also important for operator efficiency to reduce the operator time spent in setting up job runs and monitoring and correcting the machine operation. To reduce and simplify the task of an operator to program a machine for a complex job run, it is known in the prior art to be able to pre-program the machine for a subsequent job while a current job is running.
For example, Xerox U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,880 discloses a technique for pre-programming a reproduction machine for a plurality of complex jobs involving a variety of machine features and requirements using the operator console and touch sensitive screen display while the machine is in the print state or still in the process of completing a previous job. In particular, while the machine is in operation, touching a Program Ahead file on the screen, displays a simulation of a plurality of pre-programming slots or folders. By touching one of the pre-programming folders, a job can be pre-programmed into that slot or folder using file folders and subfolders that simulate a plurality of features and subfeatures of the machine. The features are automatically stored in the selected pre-programming slot on the touch sensitive screen and can be run upon the completion of the current job in progress or at a later ti me at the discretion of the operator.
A difficulty with prior art systems is that often quality adjustments preclude the machine from other operations or uses. Although quality adjustments are necessary to maintain machine quality standards, an efficient machine should tolerate only brief and limited machine downtime during quality checks and modifications that exclude other operations such as pre-programming.
It would be desirable, therefore, to minimize the lack of machine productive output and provide the capability of operator/machine interface during machine quality adjustments. It would also be desirable to be able to provide concurrent operations during periodic quality adjustments.
It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved technique for concurrent operator interaction with a machine during periodic machine quality adjustments. It is still another object of the present invention for the operator to be able to selectively pre-program and schedule job runs at a machine operator console while the machine is in the process of an internal quality analysis. Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features characterizing the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.